- Words by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Lia Crowe

Buying not just one, but two businesses, and moving countries during a pandemic might seem like a lot to take on, but for Peter and Lori Stofko, itB次元官网网址檚 a dream come true.

B次元官网网址淭he whole thing just feels like it was meant to be,B次元官网网址� says Peter of their January purchase of and the July 2020 acquisition of .

The couple, who lived in Denver with their two young children and ran a successful real estate business, fell in love with Victoria on a visit several years ago.

B次元官网网址淲e came back from that first trip and we booked our flights to come back, and we were coming here on basically every break that we got,B次元官网网址� laughs Peter, whoB次元官网网址檚 originally from Slovakia. B次元官网网址淲e couldnB次元官网网址檛 get enough!B次元官网网址�

After deciding to move to Victoria so they could have a better life for their family, Peter and Lori started looking for a business to buy. Pacific Rollshutters was for sale and when they came to see it for the first time, they didnB次元官网网址檛 realize it shared a showroom with Ruffell & BrownB次元官网网址攂ut that turned out to be a selling feature.

B次元官网网址淚 walked in and saw Ruffell & Brown and Hunter Douglas blinds everywhere and Lori had been working for Hunter Douglas for six years at that point,B次元官网网址� Peter explains. B次元官网网址淚t just seemed like a sign.B次元官网网址�

TheyB次元官网网址檇 done their due diligence, agreed on a price, and were about to move ahead with the purchase when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

B次元官网网址淓arly on, it was scary because people didnB次元官网网址檛 know if a business was still going to exist, so we kind of put everything on hold and everyone was locked at home,B次元官网网址� Peter says. B次元官网网址淏ut they were busy and they were able to work through it. Customers kept calling and basically, the business grew because of the pandemic and thatB次元官网网址檚 really been the trend the last two years. ItB次元官网网址檚 just been continuous.B次元官网网址�

In addition to the pandemic bump, theyB次元官网网址檝e successfully grown the business by expanding product lines and set down roots, so when Debra Ruffell and Nigel Brown recently approached them to see if theyB次元官网网址檇 be interested in buying their well-known Victoria business so that they could retire, it was a no-brainer.

B次元官网网址淚t was one of those B次元官网网址榓ha moments,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� says Lori, who was an IT director for Hunter Douglas until this year and consulted for Ruffell & Brown after moving to Victoria. B次元官网网址淣ot only was it Hunter Douglas, and I have a lot of familiarity with the products and customers, but the whole process flow is very similar and complementary in many ways.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淟oriB次元官网网址檚 background really drove part of the interest from Debra and Nigel,B次元官网网址� adds Peter. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 very experienced in process improvements and technology implementation, and thatB次元官网网址檚 one of the aspects where Ruffell & Brown has been really struggling in, so it was meant to be and a perfect fit.B次元官网网址�

But taking over two businesses during a pandemic hasnB次元官网网址檛 been easy. In addition to the supply chain issues plaguing companies everywhere, COVID restrictions have made it harder to bond with staff.

B次元官网网址淲hen we bought Pacific, we couldnB次元官网网址檛 even get the employees together for a lunch,B次元官网网址� Lori points out.

B次元官网网址淭he human connection and building relationships is really important and it helps make it more enjoyable for people to come to work,B次元官网网址� Peter adds. B次元官网网址淲hen itB次元官网网址檚 always work, I think it strains the relationship.B次元官网网址�

Recognizing employees are their biggest asset, Peter and Lori say theyB次元官网网址檙e always open to hearing about opportunities for improvement.

B次元官网网址淲e very much encourage that,B次元官网网址� says Lori. B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 fix things we donB次元官网网址檛 know about and it might take us time to even realize whatB次元官网网址檚 going on, so someone coming and telling us is so important. WeB次元官网网址檝e spent a lot of time just learning a great deal from everybody.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚f you treat people right, they will do a good job for you,B次元官网网址� adds Peter. B次元官网网址淲e also believe in paying people [well]. If you offer a higher wage, people will show up. ItB次元官网网址檚 what you have to do (in this tight labour market), but I also feel like itB次元官网网址檚 the right thing to do. We believe in sharing the success.B次元官网网址�

The couple isnB次元官网网址檛 afraid of hard work but when you work with your spouse, Lori and Peter agree, finding the right work-life balance can be the biggest challenge.

B次元官网网址淲e basically talk about the business 24 hours a day,B次元官网网址� Peter says, only half-jokingly. B次元官网网址淵ou could be having breakfast on Sunday morning and you think of something and you can basically have a senior management meeting and make a decision. But at the same time, the kids look at us and ask, B次元官网网址楧o you ever not talk about work?B次元官网网址� so weB次元官网网址檙e very conscious of that and itB次元官网网址檚 something weB次元官网网址檙e going to work on. We want to have our business, we want to do well, but we donB次元官网网址檛 want to work around the clock. Work-life balance is what itB次元官网网址檚 all about.B次元官网网址�

For Lori, the best advice sheB次元官网网址檚 received is to not sweat the small things.

B次元官网网址淭here will always be problems and you have to kind of put things in perspective and prioritize,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e not going to solve all the problems in a day or in a week or even in a year. You just have to keep working towards a goal and chipping away at what you need to do to get to that place. ItB次元官网网址檚 never perfectB次元官网网址攖hatB次元官网网址檚 just not the way it is.B次元官网网址�

As long-time entrepreneurs, they also see mistakes as learning experiences and try to break down what went wrong so they can fix it going forward.

B次元官网网址淥ur first real estate property was a giant failure, but instead of scaring us, and making us decide not to do it anymore, we learned from it, moved forward and we were very successful. Looking back, if weB次元官网网址檇 given up at step one, we wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have seen the success that came afterwards.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 something thatB次元官网网址檚 really important in entrepreneurshipB次元官网网址攜ou donB次元官网网址檛 just give up,B次元官网网址� adds Lori. B次元官网网址淵ou try different things to make it work. ThereB次元官网网址檚 always a different way to do it.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 clear what theyB次元官网网址檙e doing is working and even taking on a home reno at the same time hasnB次元官网网址檛 fazed this busy couple.

B次元官网网址淚 think people look at us and think weB次元官网网址檙e crazy!B次元官网网址� Lori laughs. B次元官网网址淏ut this has been our goal for so long. This is where we want to be and everything just fell into place.B次元官网网址�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
Like Boulevard Magazine on and follow them on